Global dreams An owner s vision for a family friendly pocket explorer Revolutionary The German builder sending propulsion in a new direction 2012 market report See inside for our definitive expert analysis of the year Space Race Rossinavi s forward-looking 46m that matches high volume to modern styling Roaming charge How two yards are leading Asia s move into explorer yachts voyage of discovery Cruising and diving Indonesia s unspoilt Raja Ampat archipelago INTERNATIONAL March 2013 4.95 US$10.99
Mazu& Polaris Two similar-size expedition yachts from two successful Asian builders show an Eastern take on a Western passion Expedition yachts are a mainly Western concern, but 2012 saw the delivery of two expedition yachts of Far East origin: 45.7 metre Mazu from mainland China builder Cheoy Lee and 45 metre Polaris from Horizon Yacht of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Both are steel to the level of the main deck overhead with bulbous bows, are tri-decks, and have long range. Both feature exteriors faired to yacht finish, yet restrained use of exterior wood means they are designed for less exterior upkeep. Both feature vertical windows on the bridge for better visibility, a raised foredeck and full beam superstructure forward. Both are designed for nine crew and 10 guests. Both Cheoy Lee and Horizon built these yachts on spec. But each has taken separate tacks in achieving the goal of delivering a circumnavigator. Mazu, hull No.2 in Cheoy Lee s Explorer series, is vessel 5,000 by a 140-year-old family firm. Polaris is hull No.1 of her series and the flagship of a company celebrating its 25th year. Cheoy Lee builds commercial ships and tugs along with yachts in composite and metal in Doumen. Horizon, a corporate entity comprising three yard facilities, is the No.1 builder of composite yachts over 25 metres in Taiwan, a country now sixth among the top 10 builder nations in the Global Order Book. Both are successful and have put a great deal of thought into the nature of an explorer... words: Marilyn Mower photography: Courtesy of Cheoy Lee; Courtesy of Horizon Yacht
Mazu Cheoy Lee Mazu is named for a woman living during China s Song Dynasty who could foretell the future and predict weather. She stood on the shore dressed in red and holding a lantern to guide fishing boats to port, creating an indelible bond between herself and mariners. Before and after her death, many miracles were attributed to her and she was deified. More than 1,000 temples dedicated to Mazu exist throughout Southeast Asia. Like her 2007 dark green-hulled sister Dorothea III (ex Marco Polo), Mazu has an easily driven, deep hull shape with the large, single, variable-pitch propeller set between twin rudders. An interesting innovation is the retractable Schottel SPJ 57 Pump-Jet thruster in the forward part of the hull. The Pump-Jet can rotate 360 degrees and acts as both bowthruster and emergency secondary propulsion system, capable of producing up to six knots of boat speed, even in a 20-knot headwind. In the event of main engine malfunction or an emergency in the main engine room, the forward engine room remains safely independent, with the Schottel drive unit capable of get-home power as well as providing exceptional manoeuvrability when docking, aided by a Naiad 75kW stern thruster. For a long-range cruising yacht, you can t beat a single engine with a large, variable-pitch propeller, to give the best dynamics throughout the speed range and the load range as the yacht consumes fuel on a crossing, says Ron Holland, Mazu s naval architect. I see it as two engine rooms but one main engine. The yacht is powered by a Caterpillar 3512B developing 1,911bhp at the relatively slow speed of 1,600rpm. The 14-plus knots we achieve on the single engine is the hull speed anyway. A vast number of commercial cargo and tanker ships ply the oceans on a single engine an area where shipbuilder Cheoy Lee has experience. It has been installing the Schottel system on its ships since the 1960s, according to Marty Isenberg of Cheoy Lee North America. We ve worked our butts off to improve fuel efficiency in a large yacht that has all the luxury features, says Holland. The only real disadvantage a single-screw vessel has is close quarters manoeuvrability, and we have taken care of that with the jet pump and stern thruster. That and an underwater profile developed for this specific purpose with a fine entry and a bulb that tapers nicely unto the stem and rounded buttocks that lift toward the stern, which both improves manoeuvrability and also results in better handling in a following sea. We ve worked our butts off to improve fuel efficiency in a large yacht that has all the luxury features
The concept was created for one of Holland s sailing yacht clients, German real estate and hotel developer Roland Sturm, for whom Holland designed the 36 metre Abeking & Rasmussen Globana, launched in 1995. Sturm made several long passages on her and after cruising Alaska a trip he enjoyed most asked Holland to design a motor yacht capable of exploring the world; he also sought a yard with commercial expertise. That yacht, Marco Polo, cruised 30,000 nautical miles in her first two years. For the second hull in this explorer series, the length was increased by just over a metre and tankage to more than 65,000 litres, no problem considering the nine metre beam and 2.5 metre draught. This gives Mazu a 6,600 nautical mile range at 10 knots; at 12 knots she burns 155 litres per hour, which Holland and Cheoy Lee assert is 35 per cent less than a comparable 518 tonne displacement yacht with twin engines. To compensate for the design weight of the fuel at full load, Mazu has the option of water ballast, another technique borrowed from the commercial world. She also has Naiad stabilisers with the at-anchor function. The extra LOA lengthened the saloon and the owner s deck each by a metre. This is most noticeable by the inclusion of a radio room off the bridge and a cosy library forward of the galley, plus a larger swim platform. She offers tremendous interior living area, but still measures under 500GT. As with her sister, Mazu puts the captain s cabin on the main deck forward (and to starboard of the library) so the owner enjoys a threeroom suite aft of the bridge plus open-air lounge. Of four possible guest cabins on the lower deck, one is arranged as a gym with full en suite. With a built-in daybed, it can covert to a nanny cabin. From the guest lobby, a watertight door disguises a smart passage to the laundry and spacious crew area forward for easy service. A similar door in the gym s aft wall provides a second emergency escape route from the guest accommodation via the engine room. It also gives the crew fore and aft access on this deck and a third point of access to the engine room and lazarette no doubt a popular option in inclement weather. Designer Sylvia Bolton and project manager Martin Lo, the youngest of the Lo bothers who run the yard, arranged the main deck with formal dining and a breakfast or snack area overlooking the aft deck opposite a full service bar. The aft bulkhead windows can lower to link the two areas. The multifunctional open-plan saloon is so large, however, that it could be configured any number of ways. The décor is contemporary with horizontally banded gloss-finished Macassar ebony making up much of the panelling and built-in furnishings. Rich walnut floors add a masculine look. Window treatments are simple so as not to restrict views, while the sophisticated, multi-level lighting design will create suitable nighttime ambiance or brighten grey days. All the floors are floating as part of the approach to sound and vibration control designed by Van Cappellen. Alfresco dining is possible on the aft main deck, on the owner s deck or on the huge flying bridge where large built-in sofas face high-low tables under the hardtop attached to the radar arch. The superstructure is moulded fibreglass. The decks are all open for owner use because Mazu s tenders are stored under hatches on the foredeck. According to Isenberg, Cheoy Lee is expanding its explorer series with versions of 30.5 and 38 metres, also in steel. It s such an incredible boat and I like our position with this product in the marketplace, he states. The absence of an upper-deck lounge called for a multifunctional main saloon layout; it features both banquette-style dining aft and formal dining forward (left), as well as a bar and seating area (above). The generous owner s suite (right) continues the theme of Macassar panelling and walnut floors Mazu s upper-deck owner s apartment offers three private rooms and an aft, open-air lounge
Mazu Cheoy Lee Shipyards polaris Horizon Yacht LOA 45.7m LWL 40.7m Beam 9m Draught 2.5m Displacement (full load) 518 tonnes Engines 1 x Cat 3512B, 1,911hp; 1 x Cat C7 315hp Speed (max/cruise) 14.5 knots/12 knots Range 6,600nm @ 10 knots Fuel capacity 65,000 litres Generators 3 x 90kW Northern Lights Water capacity 14,900 litres Owner and guests 10 Crew 9 Construction Steel, aluminium Classification Lloyd s @ 100A1 SSC Yacht Mono G6 + LMC, UMS, MCA ready Naval Architecture Ron Holland Design Exterior styling Ron Holland Design Interior design Sylvia Bolton For sale Cheoy Lee Shipyards North America Fort Lauderdale, US t: 954 527 0999 e: inquiry@cheoylee.com w: cheoyleena.com $27.95 million Builder/year Cheoy Lee Shipyards North America/2012 LOA 45m LWL 40.6m Beam 8.85m Draught 2.8m Displacement (light) 486 tonnes Gross tonnage 491GT Engines 2 x MTU 12V 4000, 1,800hp Speed (Max/Cruise) 16 knots/10 knots Range 4,100nm @ 10 knots Fuel capacity 64,700 litres Generators 2 x Cat 150kW; 1 x Onan 27kW Water capacity 11,400 litres Owners and guests 10 Crew 9 Construction Steel, aluminium Classification BV@ hull, Mach S/A Ice Class 1D, MCA LY2 compliant Naval architecture Horizon; Marine Technology Development Exterior Styling Espinosa Yacht Design Interior Design Schnasse Interior Design Builder/year Horizon Yacht/2012 t: +561 721 4850 e: info@horizonyacht.com w: horizonyacht.com A semi - rigid sun shade awning rolls out from the tween deck space and is supported by stainless steel poles Most of the bridge deck is dedicated to the owner, including the suite and a lounge An outdoor galley eases service on the sundeck, which has a bar with seating for eight and a dining table The crew tender and toys are stowed forward of the Portuguese bridge The master is accessed via the foyer s spiral staircase; the suites below via a stairwell in the main saloon To give the owner a larger suite on the upper deck, the captain s cabin is located forward on the main deck The chef benefits from an 8.5 cubic metre walk - in fridge next to the cooking area A laundry area was carved out of a sloping section of the main deck, allowing for a larger crew area below Accessed from the crew quarters, the Schottel Pump - Jet acts as bowthruster and emergency propulsion system Machinery is spread out around the tender and in the large engine room, leaving plenty of room for servicing
polaris horizon Yacht John Lu, CEO of Horizon Yacht and chairman of the Taiwan Yacht Industry Association, is a man on a mission. A naval architect by training, he has been the driving force behind the development of his company s products from small coastal cruisers to superyachts. He also is the force behind modern infusion construction techniques at his yards and the development of a wider variety of products, now including power catamarans and solar-powered boats. While some builders focus on a niche, it can safely be said that Horizon lauds diversification, at least as it applies to recreational boats. Horizon upped its game in 2008 with the delivery of its first 40 metre-plus yacht, a tri-deck named Miss Rose, styled as are most of its products, by JC Espinosa of Florida. It has since delivered four more yachts in this size in its premier series. In 2008, Horizon announced it would build a large expedition yacht in steel with an aluminium superstructure, and to make sure the market understood Horizon was taking the expedition part seriously, it announced it was building the boat to Bureau Veritas Ice Class. The model was originally called the Bandido 148. It was an outgrowth of a sturdy looking 23 metre designed by Espinosa and built in composite by Horizon for its former European dealer Drettmann. With the success of the 40 metre, Horizon proposed a larger version that would marry the luxury lifestyle of a yacht with a go anywhere-type hull. Its partnership with Drettmann eventually ended, but Horizon had tasted the expedition market and found it enticing. It put the plans for the 148 back on the table and tweaked the yacht with Espinosa for a more it can safely be said that Horizon lauds diversification, at least as it applies to recreational boats
A television will drop down from the ceiling in front of the upper saloon s bar for those on the oversized sofa (above). White leather sofas and a white Majilite overhead complement the satin oak walls in the main saloon (far left). The horizontal banding on the wall panels and the planked oak floor visually extend the length of the room. The flying bridge (opposite top), features spa pool and large bar international audience, while keeping the contemporary Euro styling that Birgit Schnasse of Hamburg had created for the Bandido interiors, as well as a number of small northern European sailing yachts and large, luxury rivercruise vessels. Her palette is traditionally cool and subtle, relying on textures, natural materials and a smattering of jewel tones. Even with all the pieces in place, the commitment to steel and to a yacht over 400 tonnes was a tremendous step. It was a sense of Go big or go home, says Elise Moffitt of Horizon USA. John Lu believes the company is capable of success with all building materials and all types of yachts so there was no value in being tentative. Indeed, introduced to the world at Horizon s gala 25th anniversary event last May in Taiwan, Polaris was anything but tentative, dominating the dock at the Premier shipyard. Hundreds of Horizon owners, dealers, guests and media trooped through the yacht, illustrating its volume and varied entertainment areas. In fact, the flying bridge with its enormous bar and elliptical sunpads surrounding the spa pool, was the preferred venue for watching musical acts performing on the shore-side stage. Seeing it completed for the first time, Espinosa remarked with surprise about the volume of the boat. I ve recently been doing a couple of 50 metre Trinitys, but this seems very large. As far as the exterior styling goes, we tried hard to create a balance between keeping it in the Horizon family, which as you know is very sleek, and matching the public s expectations for expedition yachts, he says. The main arrival point is the well-covered aft main deck, which focuses on dining for 10 and the first of the outdoor televisions that drop down from the overhead. A pair of glass weather doors open into the saloon, which is panelled in satin finished oak with white Majilite overheads and matching white leather sofas offset to port. The horizontal banding on the oak wall panels visually extends the length of the room, as does the planked oak floor. A fibre optic panel on the ceiling above the seating area adds a bit of nighttime drama. The dining area is separated from the saloon by a fullheight wall and ringed by low cabinets. The yacht s starboard side entrance opens to this space, perhaps a bit abruptly. Rather than a foyer with an open stair column, the stairs are tucked off to starboard and their surround and adjacent dayhead separates the public spaces from the generous office that transitions to the full beam superstructure and the master suite. The suite and bath are very large and beautifully appointed. Fabric wall panels and curtains soften the décor while the stone and mosaic tile in the master head is truly impressive, as is the wardrobe space and built-in storage. Schnasse trims the tops of the walls whether they are painted, panelled or covered in fabric with a flush plain-oak board about 10 centimetres wide, as a contemporary spin on crown moulding. While the main deck galley is typical in size, it is handsomely finished and the amount of refrigerated and frozen storage is anything but typical. Most galleys are given small refrigerators that are restocked daily from the walk-ins a deck or two below, but this chef won t be climbing the stairs as often, with an 8.5 cubic metre walk-in fridge next to the cooking area. Guests are accommodated in four cabins amidships on the lower deck configured as two twins and two with John Lu believes the company is capable of success with all building materials and all types of yachts
queen-size berths. A hidden watertight door connects the guest corridor to the large crew mess forward a bright cheery space with painted and laminated surfaces accented by more of the natural oak. Just as Horizon did on its 105 Custom model delivered to the US in the spring of 2012, it lavished floor space and easily accessible storage on the crew areas. One reason the crew area is spacious is that the laundry is upstairs in a sloping section of the superstructure forward of the master suite. The bridge deck has more guest area than the main deck, divided between a gym, sauna, steam room, spa and a large upper saloon with a full bar and an equally spacious, casual, covered alfresco lounge with moveable furniture. The spa areas are separated from the upper saloon by frosted glass walls with an interesting reed pattern. Large TVs and Bose surround-sound indicate that it is designed to be party central. Forward of the wheelhouse is a Portuguese bridge with guest seating. The crew tender and PWC stowage is under hatches here. The wheelhouse features a wraparound console with a good selection of standard equipment and room for plenty more of the future captain s choice. The captain s cabin and radio room are aft of the bridge. On the sundeck is the enormous covered bar that seats eight, and an outdoor galley facing a suitably large alfresco dining area that can be covered by an awning. The decks are clear for owner and guest use because of the forward hatches for the small craft and the tender garage with a slipway launch system, large enough for a tender of slightly more than 5.5 metres long. It s nestled between two machinery spaces aft of the engine room where a pair of MTU 12V 4000s (the same power as on the later model 40 metre) have pride of place, with two Caterpillar C9 gensets producing 150 kilowatts. Along with twin screws, manoeuvrability is assured with ABT bow and stern thrusters of 150 horsepower each. Clearly, Horizon is committed to the expedition yacht market. Last summer it finished a 20 metre and sent it on a tour of the US East Coast. And its first 110 EP, in steel, is being delivered to her Asian owner in March 2013. More on ipad The master suite (above left) is softened by a fabric-panelled wall and cream furniture. The oak strip trimming the tops of the walls adds a contemporary design element. Horizon was able to include a spa area and gym (below) on the bridge deck, forward of the upper saloon we tried to create a balance between keeping it very sleek, and matching the expectations for expedition yachts